Booking Home Resort at 11 months & then changing at 7 months???

[DisneyWorldBabe]

I am hoping to book 2 Studios at PVB for next September.
Just to be safe, I plan to book 2 Studios at my home resort, BLT, at the 11 month mark. Then at 7 months, try to change from BLT to PVB.

Can anyone provide any suggestions on the best way to do this?
I know I can book the BLT rooms online at 11 months. But can I make the 7 month switch online too? If yes, will I have to CANCEL BLT first and then book PVB - thus risk losing both? Or by chance does it work like Dining reservations - such that the System will let me book and cancel at the same time?

Or will I just have to call Member Services?
Or is there a better way?

Any and all input appreciated!

 

[OKW Lover]

We've done exactly this many times in the past. I'd probably just call MS to make the switch at the 7 month window rather than having to fool with the DVC website.

 

[rlovew]

You do have the possibility of losing both reservations at 7 months when you book online. You cannot both book and cancel in 1 transaction.

 

[disneynutz]

Online you get a 1 hour jump on people who call MS. Either way you run the risk of not getting both reservations since online or through MS, inventory can not be held.

Another reason to buy where you love to stay.

Bill

 

[supersnoop]

Would you be satisfied with one studio at PVB and one at BLT? Do you have enough points to to reserve three studios?

I have documented a technique to hold one room while you cancel the other, but the system seems to be very tempermental with PVB.

 

[drusba]

If trying for Sep, it is highly likely PVB will be available at 7 months out and potentially even beyond 7 months out. So it will probably make no difference whether you call or do it online.

 

[disneynutz]

Last I read only about 1/3 of PVB has been declared into the DVC and availability doesn't seem to be a issue. Maybe PVB will have a larger number of rooms available at 7 months than the other resorts.

Bill

 

[DisneyWorldBabe]

Online you get a 1 hour jump on people who call MS. Either way you run the risk of not getting both reservations since online or through MS, inventory can not be held.

Another reason to buy where you love to stay.

Bill

This is exactly why I was hoping to do the switch at 7 months online, vs waiting for MS to open.

So even when MS does the switch, they will be cancelling BLT first and then booking PVB, right?

LOVE my home resort, BLT, but trying to book PVB as a wedding gift for our friend's honeymoon.

Would you be satisfied with one studio at PVB and one at BLT? Do you have enough points to to reserve three studios?

I have documented a technique to hold one room while you cancel the other, but the system seems to be very tempermental with PVB.

I thought I read about your technique somewhere! Using 2 computers? Do you have a link for me? Thanks!

If trying for Sep, it is highly likely PVB will be available at 7 months out and potentially even beyond 7 months out. So it will probably make no difference whether you call or do it online.

I hope so! The availability tool is nice for just this purpose. I can be checking the weeks prior to mine to see how my chances look.

Last I read only about 1/3 of PVB has been declared into the DVC and availability doesn't seem to be a issue. Maybe PVB will have a larger number of rooms available at 7 months than the other resorts.

Bill

Can't make the switch until February though....so here's hoping!

 

[supersnoop]

If trying for Sep, it is highly likely PVB will be available at 7 months out and potentially even beyond 7 months out. So it will probably make no difference whether you call or do it online.

I agree with early September, but the last weekend (the beginning of Food & Wine) will be booked up quickly. I think the Poly is going to be a "near Epcot" resort for Food & Wine thanks to the proximity to the TTC and monorail.

I thought I read about your technique somewhere! Using 2 computers? Do you have a link for me? Thanks!

I think drusba documented the technique after I discovered it. You can actually use two different browsers on the same computer (like Chrome and IE). You get the the point where you're selecting contracts for the new reservation, which holds the reservation. In the other browser, or on a second computer, you cancel the existing reservation. Do not search or otherwise check availability, as that will invalidate your hold. After cancelling, go back to the held reservation and select to borrow points, and then cancel out of the borrow window. That will refresh your available points without losing the hold. Then you can complete the booking.

Note that people have experienced problems, especially with PVB, where that "hold" seems to break, and clicking "next" returns you to the search page. So, be careful.

 

[Granny]

So even when MS does the switch, they will be cancelling BLT first and then booking PVB, right?

Right. There is a very slim chance that you could lose both reservations while MS is cancelling/rebooking. It has happened over the years, but honestly I only remember a couple of times that it happened for all the tens of thousands of people who do the book at 11/switch at 7 routine.

We prefer to use MS for these since we rely on internet service and if for any reason it glitched out while trying to rebook, it could cost us both reservations. I think MS is using a network connection so it should be more reliable and hopefully faster.

 

[pmaurer74]

hmmm. This seems confusing to me being new. I will likely get my points mid October and Nov. 2 is my 7th month. Would you suggest I just wait until Nov. 2 to book anything? Looking to get two studios at BCV, BWV or Poly for 1 week.

 

[Tigger2ntinkerbell]

We are also going in September 2016, and knowing we have to book our home resort and then switch at the seventh month mark. We would like to try getting a studio at VGF or Poly starting on September 26. Is there a chance we'll be able to do this???. TIA

 

[goofy4prez]

We are also going in September 2016, and knowing we have to book our home resort and then switch at the seventh month mark. We would like to try getting a studio at VGF or Poly starting on September 26. Is there a chance we'll be able to do this???. TIA

There's a good chance at the Poly but getting a studio at the VGF at the 7 month mark is extremely difficult to get. It's very popular and the resort is not very big.

 

[supersnoop]

We are also going in September 2016, and knowing we have to book our home resort and then switch at the seventh month mark. We would like to try getting a studio at VGF or Poly starting on September 26. Is there a chance we'll be able to do this???. TIA

The availability tool allows you to check on rooms beyond 7 months even if it's not your home resort. You can check ahead of time to see if there's anything still available.

 

[drusba]

I thought I read about your technique somewhere! Using 2 computers? Do you have a link for me? Thanks!

My detailed description of supersnoop's procedure for locking in a reservation online before canceling the first reservation at 7 months out is here http://www.disboards.com/threads/changing-to-different-resort-at-7-months.3387351/#post-53204797 As noted, it has been reported that it works with two browsers on the same computer. There have been reported issues with PVB, not focused just on this procedure but generally that members trying to book PVB were finding that even after locking in the reservation they would hit a point and be blocked out again and sent back to the beginning where you start doing a reservation. I do not know if that issue continues or the problem has been fixed.

 

[Tigger2ntinkerbell]

for all your help